The Awards, formerly known as the Musical Theatre Matters Awards, aim to highlight the best new musical theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The Bloody Ballad at Assembly Roxy – described by one reviewer as “Grease meets Scream” – took home two awards, including Best Musical.
Other winners included New Yorker Benjamin Scheuer, who picked up Best Lyrics for his autobiographical show The Bridge at C Nova, and Dumbstruck, Fine Chisel’s show at Zoo venues centring on the 52-hertz whale, which picked up the Award for Innovation.
A special Newcomer Award was also given to “acknowledge the number of young companies whose work had been shortlisted who were showing great talent and energy at the start of their careers in musical theatre”.
The full list is:
BEST MUSIC: The Bloody Ballad from Gagglebabble and Theatr Iolo. Music by Lucy Rivers
BEST LYRICS: The Bridge from Benjamin Scheuer (New York). Lyrics by Benjamin Scheuer
BEST MUSICAL: The Bloody Ballad from Gagglebabble and Theatr Iolo
AWARD FOR INNOVATION: Dumbstruck from Fine Chisel
MTN NEWCOMER: I Need a Doctor: The Unauthorised Whosical Adventure from Stormy Teacup Theatre Ltd
The awards were presented at the New Town Theatre, George Street by Laurie Sansom, artistic director and chief executive of the National Theatre of Scotland, who is also a member of the Musical Theatre Network board.
Caroline Routh, executive producer for Musical Theatre Network said: “Over 70 shows seen at the start of the Fringe were whittled down to a shortlist of 12; we then had some really tough decisions to make so that we could be sure that we were reflecting the best of musical theatre on the Fringe this year.
“There’s been such energy and inventiveness in some of the work we’ve seen that we’re really excited about what the future holds.”
The MTN Awards are the only awards at the world’s largest arts festival that specifically reward the very best in musical theatre, thereby raising the profile of the work and the artists making it.
Previous winners – who include Michael Bruce (now Donmar Warehouse composer in residence), Arthur Darvill, Barbershopera and Hamlet the Musical – have gone on to great success, with their work being seen around the world including in New York, London and on national tour.
WhatsOnStage.com, the UK’s leading theatre website, is delighted to be the Musical Theatre Network Awards official media partner.
For more information on the Musical Theatre Network Awards, visit www.musicaltheatrenetwork.com
